Best Local Activist/Advocacy Group

Wingspan

Readers Pick

Issues of violence and bullying against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth have recently come to public attention, but Wingspan has been offering resources for this community since the 1970s, becoming an official "resource center" in the 1980s. The mission is to "promote the freedom, equality, safety and well-being of LGBT people," and the people at Wingspan fulfill this mission in a variety of ways. The community center itself is open during the week and offers a free library of resources and a computer center. Wingspan also offers a 24-hour bilingual crisis line for victims of violence. Programs that Wingspan coordinates serve a wide swath of the LGBT community, including programs for seniors (Senior Pride), youth (Eon Youth), the Latino community (Puertas Abiertas), transgendered individuals (Southern Arizona Gender Alliance) and families (Rainbow Families).